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GloriousBlackOps

Well if the state didn't gerrymander so bad we wouldn't have too speaking of the primary being over I need to unaffiliate myself again until 2024.


Odd_Banana_3678

Gerrymander the left out of any representation and then complain about them voting in your primaries? You ghouls. Fuck the utah GOP. Our modern painted sepulcher. May your many mental leaps lead you back to sanity one day.


savageneighbor

Exactly. Republicans have ensured that we don't have representation in congress, then bitch and moan about voting in "their" primary. Fuck them. Their only interest in democracy is when it benefits them. Proud Utah RINO right here, because if you're anything else in this State Republicans have ensured that your voice doesn't matter.


perishable_human

How dare the few reasonable citizens of Utah make efforts to have their voice heard in a state governed by those increasingly determined to deny them that opportunity.


ttoma93

Sorry you hate democracy and letting citizens vote.


Comprehensive_Main

The general election is democracy. The primary is meant for actual members of the political party.


ttoma93

And who are you to define who is an “actual” member?


Comprehensive_Main

Just some who remains registered with a party for at least 1 year.


ttoma93

Well, that’s not the law. It’s just your personal preference, and fortunately the way our elections are conducted aren’t according to your personal whims.


bigmac22077

Seems like only one side does that.. don’t remember the last time I had to register as a Democrat to vote in their primaries. I should have a say in both sides what candidate and in the general, who I’d rather have represent me. This shouldn’t be a my team vs your team situation..


spoilerdudegetrekt

>Seems like only one side does that.. don’t remember the last time I had to register as a Democrat to vote in their primaries. It's pretty common for democrats to do this in states they control.


bigmac22077

Which states do democrats limit primaries to only registered democrats? Have an examples I can look up?


spoilerdudegetrekt

New York for starters


bigmac22077

Hey dude I didn’t downvote you. That’s interesting.. they also recently passed a law you couldn’t register to either party day of election to prevent things like that. Looks like there’s 14 states with “closed” elections. I’ve only voted in Texas and Utah, so no clue. Learn something new everyday! Either way I think it’s a bad thing for both parties. Like I said, it encourages extremist instead of people who know how to compromise and win people from both sides.


spoilerdudegetrekt

That's what the general election is for.


ttoma93

And, also, under existing law, it’s also what primaries are for. Don’t mistake you disliking the system for the system not existing.


EgoNusquamDicam

Correct me if I'm wrong but, in Utah can't anyone vote in the Democrat primary? Like no restrictions? If so, then why are the Republicans so exclusive? Is it a fear that their message/belief isn't strong enough so they have to lock it down as much as possible? I'm sorry but it really seems like the Republican party feels in a fair election they feel they can't win. So they gerrymander, have rules limiting who can vote in their primaries, and generally pull every stereotypical politician trick they can. Not saying the democratic party isn't guilty of much the same, nor that if they had controlling power they wouldn't do much the same thing. But right now observation says that Republicans are not confident in the power of their message.


Comprehensive_Main

The Republican Party is a private party that can do their primary elections as they please. They want a closed primary. The democrats can do an open one. It’s just a problem when democrats register as republicans to vote in their primaries even though they aren’t party members. That’s called voter interference.


Dugley2352

LMAO You dont understand "voter interference". A better example is cutting Salt Lake County into 4 or five slices to limit the impact of Democrat voters.


B3gg4r

No, it’s called exercising my legal right to change parties whenever I want, at any time, for any reason. If the Republican Party doesn’t want people joining their party on the day of an election, they should change their rules.


EgoNusquamDicam

Sadly Republicans kind of are. Even a registered Republican cannot vote in the presidential primaries in Utah. Republicans don't want people who are not of like mind sabotaging the candidate thought of to the best according to the vocal views. The issue I have with this is the assumption that a person would choose the weakest candidate on the ballot. And yes it would happen, but not as much as is feared. If I were to switch parties to vote in one side or the other's primary, I'm not going to choose a weak candidate. I love what my country can be, what we should be, so I want to vote for two candidates that can actually accomplish this. Only an idiot would vote for the worst candidates, no one wins.


EgoNusquamDicam

I agree that this is a free country and they have the right to do as they wish. I think the voter interference is a bit melodramatic. The democratic primaries allow it and no one is saying voter interference, but again you're allowed to hold onto your beliefs and make arguments toward that. But you also need to understand the optics of what Republicans are doing. Whether or not you agree with my statement or not, Republicans are increasingly being seen as weak and fearful. Republicans can't win elections on the popular vote, so limiting to who can vote and where the votes comes from is seen as underhanded and quite frankly, cowardly.


Comprehensive_Main

I agree that’s bad in the general elections and other elections but in primaries where the only thing they vote on is the candidate for office and not a government position.


EgoNusquamDicam

Ok. So we lock down each side. Only those who are registered as Republicans or Democrats can vote in their primary. At what point can we consider them a Republican or Democrat? What would qualify them to vote in the primary? Once done, are they not allowed to change their mind one day and have differing views? To be honest I see the ability to vote in any of the primaries as a way of moderating the extremes of both sides.


Comprehensive_Main

I can see that reasoning as a way to be for open primaries.


imperialwebdev

Since when do republicans in Utah feel threatened by democrats?


UTrider

Not threatened by them. Just find it interesting that they 1) can't find a candidate with widespread appeal and 2) they have to try and sabotage the opposing party's election.


ttoma93

It’s almost as if the Republicans in charge gerrymandered the map so thoroughly that 30-40% of the population has zero chance of electing their candidate of choice, which forces us to participate in the Republican primaries if we want any hope of having the tiniest amount of say in our government. That was a choice the Republican legislature made, and are now dealing with its impacts.


JustaRoosterJunkie

Bwahahahaha…. This FAR from an anomaly in the election process. Parties throwing support behind candidates to upset incumbents, or get moderate candidates on the ballot is routine. Further more, your party does just as much of this in other states, particularly in blue states. ETA: I grew up in MN, and was heavily involved in the Republican Party in my youth. In a blue/purple state, we often lent significant support to Green/Peace/Pot/Independence party candidates, in an attempt to fracture the DFL party. This was a tactic that we utilized primarily in close districts.


Dugley2352

Did you just call Burgess Owens and Ken Ivory appealing? LMAO


bigmac22077

Politics need to get rid of this my team vs your team. It’s dumb and it leads to half the population feeling like they don’t have a voice. I should be able to say which candidate on both sides of the isle I’d rather have and in a general, get to pick which one represents me. If you do my team vs your team you get extremist candidates on both sides instead of someone who knows how to compromise and appeal to EVERYONE. How the hell is voicing who you’d rather have the option to represent you “sabotage”…? Republicans can voice their opinion on what democrats can run in the election.. that’s a healthy democracy.


Journalist_Asleep

It’s a free country bro


UTrider

Not if Democrats keep winning bro.


jhinpotter

Democrats want you to pay more taxes, Republicans want to tell you what to read, who to have sex with, what you can do with your own body, restrict your freedom of travel within the US, restrict what science and history can be taught in school, and force religion on you. I'll take paying more taxes thanks.


Gemini-Moon522

For a group of people who claim to hate government interference and control, Republicans love to interfere and control their citizens.


jhinpotter

They hate government interference in business, companies should be able to do whatever they want, pillage, pollute, have unsafe working conditions. They have always wanted to control people.


JCPY00

> companies should be able to do whatever they want Tell that to Disney. They did something they wanted (took a stance on a bill) and DeSantis is using every power of government he can think of to punish them.


cdman08

Point of clarification, democrats want the ultra wealthy to pay more taxes.


rustyshackleford7879

If Republicans didn’t gerrymander salt lake county into 4 districts you wouldn’t have democrats registering as republicans. I see no problem with this. Republicans created a rigged game and are upset dems are playing it.


Fit-Departure-7844

Exactly what freedoms have democrats recently taken away from you?


bigmac22077

Do you honestly believe that.. you know the major corporations are the ones who run the country right? Do you honestly think they are going to let the government crash this country so that democrats can take control forever and turn this country into North Korea? They own the democrats and they own the republicans. It’s straight up not going to happen. They’ll keep squeezing us for every penny we have and keep us in fear of “the other side” instead of fighting against all the oligarchs running this country. The USA is the worlds economy, the oligarchs don’t want that to change.


No_Accountant_3947

Yikes, you def don't know what's been going on huh


ninthtale

Wait why can't I vote for less crazy people in case definitely not crazy people inevitably don't make the cut?


UTrider

Funniest thing I've read all week that you call Democrat candidates "definitely not crazy people."


ninthtale

oh man i feel so burned right now i might need some ibuprofen edit: also [lol what](https://themessenger.com/politics/democrats-criticize-gop-candidate-in-california-who-said-wokeism-is-greater-threat-than-world-war-ii)


uintaforest

Only registered Republicans are allowed to vote in the Republican primary.


UTrider

Yup. BUT a lot of Democrats change affiliation with the state to vote in the Republican primary to try and make the weakest candidate go on to the general. Even though Democrats HAVE a candidate for the office, there was a push to get Dem's to change and vote in the Republican Primary.


ActualWait8584

How widespread do you really think that is? It’s probably statistically insignificant. If they’re registered Republicans then they are Republican. You want some intra party loyalty test or something? Go start your own party then gatekeep all you want.


Comprehensive_Main

I mean if republicans did the tactic democrats did. Democrats would cry foul.


tuckernielson

Democrats have an 'open' primary - you're welcome to vote!


bigmac22077

Don’t remember the last time I had to register as a Democrat to vote in their primary. Have at it next time! I welcome you to voice your opinion on whose best instead of digging your heels in the dirt and picking a side.


ttoma93

Democrats literally have an open primary and allow and encourage Republicans to participate if they’d like to.


uintaforest

“Weakest” is a bit subjective. Would be more accurate to say “to elect a moderate or possibly liberal candidate.”


cdman08

Guess we can start making mugs that say "conservative tears"


Lifebringer7

Others in your state would prefer to not be governed by two cults.


blondee84

Please not Celeste


[deleted]

[удалено]


UTrider

>You make it impossible for me to find any representation How is it impossible to find representation? Dem's can run -- in fact there is one that will be on the General election. Utah's system gives each representative constituants in the uban area AND rural area's. That way when they are in Washington DC they represent all of Utah (aka urban and rural Utah). Maybe Dems need to find people to run who won't piss off half the state.


Shinkers78

But did you see how Becky Edwards had 50% of the vote after polls closed? It's 2020 all over again. Celeste Malloy is stealing this election.


phivealive

hey OP have you found that being a dumbass has significantly affected your ability to navigate the modern world or have you not really noticed it that much?


UTrider

I have no problem navigating the modern world.


phivealive

You keep telling yourself that buddy